Maysville talks community issues with governor's program

Monday

Concerns like the town’s water and sewer system as well as internet access were some of the things discussed by Maysville officials and a state-based focus team of 15.

Representatives from N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s Hometown Strong program visited Maysville this week to talk with residents and town officials about some of the needs of the community.

Concerns like the town’s water and sewer system as well as internet access were some of the things discussed by town officials and a state-based focus team of 15 on Monday.

“The goal is to listen to what y'all are working on and how the state can be a better partner to you,” Pryor Gibson, director of Hometown Strong, said.

The Hometown Strong program focuses on building up communities in rural North Carolina with help from state officials and the community’s own resources. The program focuses on four key things:

Use of existing data and programs in order to keep moving projects forwardUsing local priorities as discussed and suggested by community membersLeading with positives, or building on the community’s established strengthsSharing templates of success with communities to help them reach their own goals

While some of the issues in Maysville were things that have already been addressed — like the approval of broadband internet signal attached to the Maysville water tower — Maysville Board Member Dan Ryan said the meeting was a good first step.

“It’s the right thing to do to get everybody in the same room and talk,” Ryan said.

Ryan expressed his concerns for the community during the meeting, such as the effect of the U.S. 17 bypass construction on the town’s traffic flow and the need for better signage directing visitors into Maysville.

Wayne Sayland, who runs Sayland Funeral Home, agreed, saying the entrance into town would be disastrous as it’s designed now.

“That is a nightmare; no matter what you do that is a nightmare,” Sayland said.

Others expressed concern for the town’s budget and work to revamp the water and sewer plant.

According to Maysville Town Manager Schumata Brown, the town was denied for the AIM grant more than once, which meant a lack of funding which may have been applied to sewage repairs.

James Maides, owner of Green Recycling outside Maysville, described how the recycling plant has absorbed the task of storing untreated water because it cannot be treated on site. Maides said approximately 50,000 gallons of water are being stored at the plant right now.

“Right now we’re pumping and hauling and that’s a job,” Maides said.

Additionally, Maides said the plant spends about $80-90,000 a year pumping and hauling water, and he said it would be helpful to find a way to localize that process.

The good news, Maides said, is that Hurricane Florence led to a boom in the recycling business, where discarded debris and construction materials can be mulched and sold. But the storm was also responsible for the damages to the water and sewer system.

Another ongoing issue, one mentioned by nearly everyone from Brown to the police chief to residents of Maysville, was access to reliable internet and cell service. Brown said Maysville approved the installation of broadband internet from Eastern Broadband in Pink Hill late in 2018, but the signal only stretches about 4 miles.

“Our biggest problem is communication,” Maysville Police Chief Carl Bargus said. “You lose coverage once you get into Maysville down near Carteret County.”

Brent Riggs, who owns the Subway, ice cream shop and operates a sow farm in Maysville, said the need for internet access has become more apparent as he works to keep his businesses running.

“We have employees on payroll who end up waiting all day because ‘the signal is bad today,’” Riggs said.

Other times, he added, his wife has opted to work from home just to have better internet connection.

Kevin Cherry, deputy secretary of the Office of Archives, History and Parks in N.C., suggested the push for support of local libraries which often help provide internet access to communities that might not otherwise have internet connection.

Ryan said folks in Maysville do use the library, but they are also finding students and others needing internet come to the restaurants for wireless internet to complete their homework.

“It’s hard to think about that, being it’s 2019 and there’s still places that don’t have internet,” Brown said.

Overall, though, Brown said he felt a little bit better after having a chance to go over the town’s issues with state officials.

“They’re showing effort, and with the government showing people working together, it speaks volumes for rural North Carolina,” Brown said.

Reporter Kelsey Stiglitz can be reached at 910-219-8453 or kstiglitz@JDNews.com. For digital subscription information, click here.

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